Karzai's Afghanistan Victory "Illegal"

(CBS/AP)  Afghan President Hamid Karzai's challenger in the recent presidential election said Wednesday that the current government cannot bring legitimacy to the troubled nation and will not be able to rein in corruption.

Former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah said the Afghan Independent Election Commission's decision not to have a runoff election after a fraud-marred first round was not legal. A government that emerges out of such a ruling "cannot bring legitimacy, cannot fight corruption," Abdullah said.

But Abdullah said he was not personally challenging the commission's declaration of Karzai as president.

Special Report: Afghanistan

"That government cannot bring legitmacy, cannot fight corruption," Abdullah said, adding that it "cannot deal with all the challenges, especially the threat of terrorism, security problems, poverty, unemployment and many others."

"The process has completed itself with that final, illegal decision," he said, referring to the election commission's decision.

"I leave it to the people of Afghanistan to judge," he said.

The election commission proclaimed Karzai the victor of the country's tumultuous ballot Monday, canceling the planned runoff and ending a political crisis two and a half months after a first round of voting in August that was marred by widespread fraud.

On Tuesday, Karzai vowed to clean up the Afghan government's image as a corrupt, nepotistic entity. The president told reporters he would welcome anyone from the opposition into his government and institute reforms to stamp out corruption.

After his statement, a reporter asked Abdullah about five British soldiers who were killed Tuesday in a gunfire attack in the southern province of Helmand. Afghan authorities said a policeman attacked the troops at a police checkpoint.

Abdullah expressed condolences to the families of the British soldiers killed. He used the incident, however, to criticize the Karzai administration, saying that even after eight years of international forces working to stabilize the nation, more military assistance is needed.

[mjlewis6]

Square one was the invasion of Afghanistan in 2002, Bush let the theater decline and started a campaign that Osama bin Ladin dead or alive was no longer important since the Taliban government was out of power...and thereafter successfully propagandized the media for the invasion of Iraq....The war in Afghanistan continues to this day DUE TO BUSH's decision to invade IRAQ.

Square Two is the consolidation of Afghanistan government control.

We can be a part of that....or we can leave per George Bush's plan.

And by the way, Operation Iraqi Freedom was way too expensive, not the "50 Billion, tops!" of VP Cheney....

We could have liberated Cuba for a whole lot less and a lot closer to the US mainland, shorter supply routes and a lot of Florida voters support, too.

[RedWings_ninety_one]

There is no way that the results are "Illegal." We may not like the "new" leader, but his challenger did drop out, and with no one opposing him, he is the winner.

[finkfurst]

Is that really your idea of fair democracy????????????

[lmartink]

Bush's puppet, Karzai, is fatally flawed. Corruption is his middle name, as it has been every other leader of Afghanistan for centuries. It is their way of life, and an indelible part of their culture.

These "values" (if you can call them values) are not worth the sacrifice of one more American life.

The gig is up. It's time to go. There is no victory to be had here. We are not going to "win". It's too late, way too late.

The Afghans are not nearly so stupid as to embrace us, and then get their families butchered by the Taliban at night.

[finkfurst]

It's significant that the number of voices on this CBS forum who are willing to justify the invasion Afghanistan is dwindling to almost zero.

How about it jefleshman, AOCGUY and others..... why the silence now? You might at least have the integrity to admit that you were wrong.

[finkfurst]

by Ms_enza November 4, 2009 11:33 AM EST
I don't think the invasion, per se, is unjustifiable..............
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I think it WAS unjustifiable, so I would be most interested to hear your justification.

[finkfurst]

by Ms_enza November 4, 2009 2:58 PM EST
Getting OBL. That and only that was a reason for invasion....... I do know that OBL was in Afghanistan.......
-------------------
Really? How do you know he was in Afghanistan when you invaded? Did you see him there, or did someone tell you? Who might that someone be?

[wyodutch]

A shining moment in history... When the flower of American youth is given the rare opportunity to fight and die for a corrupt ruler in a foreign land.
.

[finkfurst]

No..... this is just another one of many shameful moments in American history.

When will you finally understand that proclaiming yourself to the best country in the world inevitably makes you one of the worst?

[sean66x]

Hey finkfurst, America does not want your baboon buttocks. Please, wear your monkey diaper.

[nowhiningallowed]

If Abdullah is so concerned about legitimacy, then he should have never withdrawn from the repeat election. He draws legitimacy to the entire process through his political stunt. Perhaps he was afraid of losing again, but this time, without the suspected vote fraud. Since he was the main contender and has withdrawn from the repeat election, the commission has no other alternative but to declare Karzai the winner.

[AOCGUY]

Concur - Had Abdullah opted to remain and push for a runoff then he would have a legitmate argument but when he chose not to run then the govt really had no choice but to declare Karzai the victor. I have no doubt the election was corrupt but I doubt that a runoff would be any different.

[finkfurst]

AOCGUY - No, you're completely wrong. To take part would have been to accept the legitimacy of the election. Maybe you Americans will learn someday that winning by any means is actually failure.

Will you engage in that discussion, or run away like jefleshman?

[finkfurst]

jefleshman.... where are you? You've been cheer-leading for Karzai and the illegal occupation for months, and now you've gone very quiet!